Police find car involved in fatal New Haven hit-and-run

New Haven police believe they have found the Mercury Sable involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident on Whalley and Central Avenues Monday evening.

New Haven police believe they have found the Mercury Sable involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident on Whalley and Central Avenues Monday evening.

Photo: Jessica Lerner / Hearst Connecticut Media

Photo: Jessica Lerner / Hearst Connecticut Media

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New Haven police believe they have found the Mercury Sable involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident on Whalley and Central Avenues Monday evening.

New Haven police believe they have found the Mercury Sable involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident on Whalley and Central Avenues Monday evening.

Photo: Jessica Lerner / Hearst Connecticut Media

Police find car involved in fatal New Haven hit-and-run

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NEW HAVEN — A city man was killed late Monday when his motorcycle and a car collided and he became lodged in the car’s windshield for a time as the driver fled the scene, police said.

Mark Hoffler, 51, had no pulse when he was found blocks from the initial crash and emergency crews were unable to revive him, police said. Hoffler was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police later located the light gray Mercury Sable involved in the fatal hit-and-run that occurred at about 10:37 p.m. Monday at Whalley and Central avenues.

Stanley Welch, of Stimson Road, said he went out to move his car Tuesday morning and saw a vehicle with extensive damage on Beaver Hill Lane.

“I had saw on the news the description of this gray car with the windshield damage. So I went over there, and there was blood on the windshield,” Welch said. “My heart was pounding when I saw it. I said, ‘This can’t be right in front of my house.’”

Having never seen the car around the neighborhood, Welch said he assumed it was the car involved with the fatal hit-and-run. He then called 911 and waited until patrol cars arrived.

Richard Callahan, of Beaver Hill Lane, said he didn’t notice the smashed vehicle until officers knocked on his door — neighbors usually park on that side of the street. He said he knew someone had died following an accident the night before , but didn’t put it together at first that the car near his house could be the suspect vehicle.

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A vehicle with extensive damage found Tuesday morning is believed to have been involved with a fatal hit-and-run Monday night (Video by Jessica Lerner).

Media: CTGlobal

The vehicle was moved to the police garage, where it will undergo a forensic work-up. Police said they have not yet found the driver and was not clear whether there were passengers in the car at the time of the crash.

At the point of impact, Hoffler was thrown into the air and landed on top of the car’s hood, police said. Witnesses told police his head went through the windshield, and the car took off east on Whalley Avenue at a high rate of speed, according to the release.

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When the car reached Fitch Street, the driver turned left to go north onto Fitch and the maneuver caused the victim to dislodge from the windshield and crash to the ground, police said. The car fled up Fitch Street.

“The car’s grille was found at the point of impact,” Officer David Hartman said in the release. “A check of the part number shows it was for a 2002 Mercury Sable.”

The car was found less than a mile from the scene, with front-end damage and a substantial hole in the windshield.

Hardeep Bhangoo said when he was working at a nearby gas station Monday night, he saw a small crowd gathering at the intersection. He said he then went outside and heard people talking about a hit-and-run.

Before the police “shooed” him away, Bhangoo said he saw the motorcyclist lying still on the street.

The Mercury was exiting the parking lot adjacent to the intersection of Whalley and Central avenues when the crash happened, police said.

The NHPD Crash Investigation Unit was called out to the scene to take over the investigation.

Anyone who witnessed the crash, or who has information on the operator of the vehicle or potential passengers, is urged to call the Traffic Division at 203-946-6316. Calls may be made anonymously, police said.